Follow the topics within this article

Saudi Arabia claims not to use its vast oil power to help win political battles. It’s an official policy the kingdom’s rulers have been wise to mostly uphold despite the temptation to use their energy arsenal to strike out at their enemies in defence of the national interest. Weaponising its crude exports would be both bad diplomacy and terrible economics.

But the kingdom is becoming more forthright in challenging its Western critics, prompting concerns that certain diplomatic squabbles could spill over into oil markets.

Canada has become the latest country to incur Riyadh’s wrath. The country’s dollar, known as the loonie, had a minor breakdown this week amid concerns Saudi Arabia’s central...